Meet the Robins (Chris and Lexi Chronicles)
by Samantha Kirk
Summary: Starfleet is where officers go to challenge themselves, but for Christopher Robins and Alexandra Garfield, the biggest challenge was simply themselves. Love isn't always enough as these two lovers try to find out what is needed to find happiness in each other in a galaxy that doesn't care who they are. Set in the Star Trek Universe. love/romance/sci-fi/adventure/adult themes
1. Chapter 1

Professor Tallum was a tall man, built like an oak tree and twice as large as he sat up in front of the class, to what Christopher thought was yammering on end. This class was going to be the death of him, he knew it. He took the course cause that girl when he was signing up was showing more cleavage than he cared to admit. Granted he got to see the inside of her quarters but he was starting to think that going after fourth year girls just cause he could and getting stuck in classes like this seemed a waste of his time. His older brother would give him crap if he ever learned why he was in this class, his younger might just high five him. Regardless Nathan was still finishing primary and while Paul was finishing his fourth year he would avoid telling that eagle scout what he did until he needed to drop the class.

Looking over at the seat next to him he felt he found the utter opposite of him sitting next, the girl seemed utterly engrossed as she took notes. It wasn't so much Chris didn't know his biology, just physics, chemistry, and more hard sciences where always more his forte'. This, was taking his needed biology up a notch for no reward other than the satisfied look on the girls face as he left.

"You getting all of this?" Chris asked as he leaned over and whispered next to the girl as she continued to take notes, she was cute but for once trying to get in someone's pants wasn't quite his agenda. Deep down he really did hope she was taking notes, maybe he could charm those out of her hands and squeak by with a B-.

"Yes I am or was until you started talking," Lexi said glancing at the handsome blonde next to her and then back to the professor. "It's pretty self-explanatory. He is just going over the classification of life and how we can define it based on the presence of nucleotides in a sample. If the sample contains nucleic acids, nitrogen bases, five-carbon sugars, and at least one phosphate group then we get amino acids and the expectation that the sample has the potential to be classified as possibly living or at the vary least organic. It was all in the chapters from last night. This is just a review. You did read last night's chapters, right? Neucolotides, nucleic acids, and Poly-Carbon Atoms," she let her voice trail off. The man beside her was easy on the eyes. There was no denying that but was this a lame pick up line or was he really that lost on the material.

"I read it, and then I did a lot of drinking with a very perk red head… or was she brunette… wait was there two of them?" Chris said with a bemused face as he tried to remember the night. Chris paused as he tried to remember the night, biting his lower lip he looked back over at Lexi. "I did though read it eventually, it just… it was very boring. I mean I took this class… well… I probably should have just had bio 210 but I got cocky and thought I could do this when my strengths are in completely other sciences." Chris said as he reached down into his bag and pulled it up to be in between the two of them.

Twiddling her stylus back and forth on the PaDD, Lexi made a decision. "If you really have read and really are lost I can give you my notes," she agreed. The cadet was cocky but as he said people had strengths in different areas of science but you had to take some course in each of them. If she helped him here, maybe he would be better in something she wasn't. Still, she would be cautious. He might be this way in all his classes and skating through due to big shot parents. Time would tell.

Unzipping his bag he began to rummage in it, searching as he did for what seemed like hidden lost treasure. "I'm Chris by the way, Christopher Robins… skittles?" he said as he pulled from the bag a large bag of skittles he held out in front of her. "If not these I do have some M&Ms or fun size babe ruth bars, and almond joys." he said with a smile full of charm and hint of swagger. He was handsome, he knew this and it was clear he didn't mind using it to his advantage when he felt the need arise. Sometimes though it was better to simply make a friend than to try and find a conquest and right now the woman in front of him was someone he desperately needed to be his friend.

"Alexandra," she replied with her first name and let out a laugh. The eye candy has candy. Oh, you are good, she thought to herself. "Are you buying my attention, affection, or academic preparation with your Halloween haul," she countered looking at his stash. "I am not cheap so I will need two pieces but unfortunately I am not sure I see anything I like." The sentence was definitely loaded and part of her wanted to see which way he would take it.

"Well then doll you are just going to have to let me know what you like if you are going to be my study buddy." he said with a small wink at her as he popped in a few of the skittles.

"I am not a huge fan of chocolate but chocolate and peanut butter might get you some bonus points with me," Alex smiled softly. She really had no issue with the Almond Joys or skittles but a girl had to play hard to get.

It was always this was with the plebian class. Half of them joined from the flashy We Want You recruitment posters and their above-average intelligence always made them think they were top dogs. Yet the Academy held the best of the best so actually they were just tiny minnows in a large sea. Usually, one example made at the start of the semester got his point across that one should attend to his lecture and not those around them. It appeared Cadets Garfield and Robins would be his sacrificial lambs this term. "Cadet Garfield, I'm sorry. I was not aware this was the Student Union and time to socialize. Can you please refrain from finding a date for this evening until after class. You are a beautiful woman. You should have no issue finding someone to take you out for say a pizza or would you like some pointers," Professeur Tallum's voice rang out in the hundred-plus seat auditorium.

"No Sir," Lexi turned ten shades of red and looked down slightly.

Not wanting to stop the momentum of his lesson on why not to gossip in his class, Tallum continued. "And you Cadet Robinson's. I am sure with your perfect looks and the way the sunlight glints off your teeth as you smile to the ladies you will have no problem gaining some companionship for the evening. Am I mistaken Cadet Robins?"

"I mean I was planning to ask your wife out sir but she was busy so I am free. Would you like to get some dinner after the lecture? We can get some Sharma or maybe find a nice bistro…" he said pausing as he looked over at Lexi. "How about you, feel like a nice bistro?" he said as he looked back at Professor Tallum. "So all three of us at the Italian Bistro off of Keys and Harper? I mean we can try to get others here but I don't know how many they can fit." he said as he leaned up trying to count the student heads.

"Did he just say he was taking out the professor's wife," Brent Stiller leaned over to the cadet next to him. "Has he seen the wife?"

"Have you," Peter Stampton shot back? This got a deep chuckle out of Brent who shook his head.

Audible shocks could be heard from the large crowd of students. The stadium shape held at least three hundred when full, though this class was half the full capacity.

"That guy is going to make Captian overnight," Anastasia whispered to her friend Olga next to her watching the events play out. Anastasia was always on the lookout for the sure thing. This guy had charisma, brashness, and was hot. The trifecta in her book was met and all with perfect tens. "Write down the name of the bistro. We are showing up," she said biting the cap to her pen. "He's remarkable," she let the words slowly roll off her tongue.

"You're trouble," Lexi said through straight lips starting ahead. "Stop talking. Sit down. Don't move." Her voice was steady but she had a deer in the headlights look as she focused on Tallum. Lexi's heart pounded as she waited for the reply that was inevitably on its way. If she was not sitting next to him, Lexi might have found the bravado endearing or even roguish yet she was sitting next to him This means she could be guilty by association.

"My wife. That's…that's a good one cadet," the professor nodded his head like it as a good joke. He even scratched his brow as if trying to come up with a punchline of his own. "Out," Tallum pointed to the door suddenly snapping into a formal mode. "Get your PaDD and flippant arse out of my classroom. Maybe take it to oh I don't know the corner of Report to and Dean of the Department. Maybe you could order in because I am sure you will be there a while."

"I mean if you don't like the bistro you just need to say so there is a dozen other locations nearby." Chris said as he stood up and began to leave down the seats as he got to the end.

"Yeah but the one on Oaks and Sherman has trivia," a cadet called out from the back row. In the light, it would be hard to tell who said that but it didn't matter. This voice was followed with a yell of, "Franklin and First have live music."

"Shut up," a decidedly female voice hushed him. "Don't encourage this kind of thing. It was rude and disruptive."

"Or the most exciting thing that happened today or possibly ever in a lecture," another random voice yelled out.

As Chris spoke murmurs from the students began to get louder, all eyes where on the pair as they seemed to begin to decide which parties they were rooting for, the professor or the rebel scientist and his lackey.

"Out," Tallum repeated his command still pointing to the door. The professor was known for having little in the way of a sense of humor yet there was something mildly amusing about the situation. The low rumble of coughs and throat clears indicated others in the class saw a modicum of humor in the display too. Lexi however did not.

Lexi shook her head some in stunned surprise. Her mouth dropped and looked back and forth between the two men. People did not just get thrown out of class at the Academy. This was not some public school where the riff-raff settled down to enjoy four more years of being a kid. It was the academy and Robins was just ordered out. Alexandra's heart pounded feeling all eyes in the auditorium fall on her and Robins.

"Oh!" he said out loud as he walked back, giving the pardon and excuses me as he got back to his seat as he grabbed his back back. "Sorry hon my candies… but here you can keep these." he said as he reached in his bag and placed the bag of Almond Joys on her lap as well as a blank piece of paper as he wrote down his communication number.

Lexi stiffened as the candy was placed in her lap. The teenager in her felt a hot rush fill her body. She had never met anyone like him. She had heard about guys like this but n her high school they never had the brains to match the brawn. The adult in her fought the impulse to flirt back. This guy was nothing but trouble.

Whatever silence had begun to settle over the crowd as it appeared to be dying down as others kept watching to see what the handsome cadet would do. Was he flirting, being an asshole, a combination of the two? Needlessly to say whatever his goal he had a humors approach all the same.

"You are giving me your number," Alexandra picked up the paper between her index and middle finger holding it up. Her face held a bemused expression. It was hard to be too firm with him. Especially when she let herself forget exactly where she was.

"In case you need to meet up for those notes." he added with a small wink and a smile as he popped a few more skittles as he began to make the trek back down the aisle.

"Don't you mean you meet up with me for those notes," she yelled out focusing only on Chris and not that she was the center of attention in the auditorium. "I am not hand-delivering them."

"I mean I could be then however can I cook for you." he said with a small wink as he began slowly making his way back down the aisle.

"Cooking or buying. Make up your mind there cowboy. The devil is in the details," she yelled out. What stop are you nuts. Do not say another word or you will be joining him, her conscious chastised her.

"Of course you are not hand-delivering them, Cadet Garfield. You are going with him," Tallum made a shooing motion with his hand.

"Me," Alex stared at her professor. "Why me? I didn't do anything,"

"Except make a date in the middle of my lecture. Out now," Tallum's voice took on a harsher tone. "You wanted to spend time with him. Now you can. And maybe you can decide on dessert in the lobby of the Dean's office. You did this as much as he did so take the punishment."

"Oh please no, not the pretty girl… do anything but send the pretty girl with me as a punishment." Chris said in a mocking tone as he looked over at her, part of him felt bad he truly didn't intend to get her dragged out with him. Yet part of him felt like if he was going to be removed might as well go with the hottest chick in the room.

"Besides you can't let your study buddy roam the halls all alone now can you," Tallum had a smug look on his face as he saw the sheer horror on Alex's.

"Oh I don't know if buddy is the right term yet we haven't even gotten to goals, hopes, and dreams yet." he quipped back as he rolled his eyes. Some professors where more hard nosed than others, truth was they hadn't been that loud yet Tallum seemed to want to take shots and Christopher never backed away from a challenge, Professor or no.

"Yes I can," Alex said sitting up straighter and assuming the posture of someone intensely focused on the material on the large classroom PaDD. As if to point out her zeal for learning, Alex began to recopy the notes she had written five minutes earlier.

"Really? You would just let me wander alone out there without any company at all? Come on you can't be so heartless to do that to a guy." he said turning from Tallum to Lexi. "I mean we have the bistro to look forward to, I think everyone is missing the importance of the bistro."

"I didn't. Just the one we decided on. Oaks and Sherman or Keys and Harper," the mystery heckler called out.

It was at this point that all control Tallum had began to break, the classes snickers where louder than him as everyone seemed to almost be rallying on the pair. Tallum may begin to wish that just letting it all slide would have been the far better option instead of stocking the flames that was the cocky first year.

"Cadet Gardfield…out," Tallum pointed to her and then to the door Chris was standing at.

"Ugh really…really," she vented shoving her materials into her bag as she headed to the exit.

"I hope you have a wonderful afternoon and if anyone in this class gives them the notes you all will fail. Now the poly-carbonate sugar chain," Tallum began to lecture seeing both of the cadets heading to the exit.

"Ugh," Lexi growled narrowing her eyes at him as she ducked under the arm holding the door open for her. "You know that would have been a very gentlemanly gesture if you hadn't gotten us tossed out," she yelled over her should as she head to Dean Stiller's office. "That man's voice is a metronome."

As Chris left with Lexi close behind there could be chants of Robin and Garfield seemingly mixed as Tallum began yelling to try and regain control. It wasn't Chris problem anymore as he began to walk off. "Where are you going hon?"

"The Dean's office," she stopped and turned around. "Tallum told us to report there." While Lexi was slightly scowling, she also had an innocent look on her face. It spoke of the good girl who had never done anything like this and never had seen the inside of an administrators office except to pick up her do gooder award.

"Really? You are really going to head to the Deans cause he said so? Come on the bistro is not far away, I wasn't kidding it's wonderful and I owe you some food if I want to make up for that. I feel an apology may come out of me at some point if you keep it up, maybe they can even have some lasagna for you Garfield, it is a Monday after all…" he said with a snicker as he put the bag over his shoulders as he began to untuck his uniform. He hated wearing the cadet uniform, classes seemed though one of the few places the enforced the look. If Chris could get away with not feeling buttoned up he would gladly take the chance.

Lexi stood there with her lips moving but no words coming out. She had no words. She also had no idea how to handle someone like Christopher Robins in her life.

"We aren't in grade school love, this isn't like they can give us a detention and tell us to be good." Chris spoke as he looked back at her, a smile forming as he saw her near flabbergasted state.

"No but they can give us demerits and and," she stammered, "and…anything really. I mean you did get the speech from Herman Hornsby where he said Starfleet didn't issue you a spouse and child with your duffle bag so procure them at your own risk because your arse belongs to us. Right," she gave him a highly confused look. "I don't know what they can or can't do which is why I should have just said yes to giving you my notes and focused on the class." Alex moved towards the wall and slumped against it. She was clearly lost as to what she should do. Moving her bag to the front of her body she toyed with the strap as she spoke. "I'm kinda out of my element here Robins," she admitted.

"Live a little… if it makes you feel better I admit I may have gone just a little too far… just a little." the last part he gestured with his fingers pressing them tightly together.

"Just a little," she rolled her eyes with a smile and imitated his hand gesture but this time instead of having her fingers pressed together she held her hands far apart. His smile was infectious and it was making it hard to stay mad at him.

"Besides you seem the type that already memorized the book, so it's worth taking some time away and just living a little… food drink good friends… it'll all be a fun time and you can meet some locals. It always pays to know the people you are going serve and help you."

"Fine but you are buying," she pointed a finger at him, "and for the record, I eat a lot so I hope you have a lot of credits," Alex said walking towards the door.

"Oh really now? Well I have you know I cheat… throw food on floor, feed the dog, do whatever I need to win." he said as they walked, finding the walk to be one of the best times he had of the day.

"I didn't mean an eating contest dork," she joked inhaling the crisp air of the sunny September day. It was not yet Fall but the mornings were cool, leading to a hot afternoon, but pleasant evening. Right now the pair was between the weather types and in that perfect temperature mode.

"I meant that I am not one of those oh give me a salad type or throw a whole bunch of crap in a blender, mix it with yogurt and claim it is yum me," she drew out the word with a fake smile. "I mean a bowl of blended spinach with hunks of bread is not a meal. It is an appetizer and don't even get me started on tapas. Last week I went out with a group of women and they went on and on about how freakishly good this tapas place was. Twenty credits later I was starving," Lexi shook her head. "I like to actually order something that stands a chance of coming home in a to-go bag and not result in me licking the plate looking for a crumb." Chris had no idea he had hit her hot button and it was not politics or social equality. It was women that were too afraid to eat something they actually had to open their mouth and chomp down on when on a date.

It was only minutes later they arrived, having so many locations near the academy it was sometimes like a commercial center than an military academy. So many souls came to see the halls that the greatest captains roamed, Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Schultz, all of these and more made there way through the academy and set their stamp on the Federation.

Oh god please do not say the Caprese salad is the best thing here or I swear I will lose all respect for you Lexi thought looking at the joint. The only reason she did not give her two cents again about fancy tiny foods that so many girls swooned over was because of the exterior. Places like this did tend to surprise you.

The Italian Bistro was small, Vito Provolone was the name as the pair came up. For most this place seemed a hole in the wall, small and beat up but when one entered the atmosphere seemed to challenge the surroundings of this quaint little location. It was clear as they came in that Chris was well known as many shouts could be heard of Christopher as they all seemed to greet him. One of the plumb older women who seemed to be managing the front came and wrapped her arms around Christopher as she kissed both sides of his cheeks.

Lexi eyed the woman who seemed to be charging down the pair like a rhino hell-bent to get to the waterhole first on a Savanah. She was all about warm welcomes but the people here were acting like Chris was a relation to them and not just a patron.

"Chris, you are looking skinny you need to eat!" Petunia said as she waved over one of the waitresses by. It was clear from most of the stares many of the other women didn't really like that Lexi seemed to be with Chris as the younger girl came up to them. This young girl seemed to be glad Chris was there, and even smiled at Lexi. "So what's your name?" she asked her as she tried to bring Lexi into conversations.

"This is Lexi, Lexi this is Francisca, she's my study buddy from AP Bio, I got her kicked out today for me… kinda running my mouth." Chris said through clinched teeth as he told the story, looking over at Lexi then back to Francisca.

"Talking smack again?" she asked as she looked back over at Lexi, "Hon don't let him bring you down with him… he's cute but trouble." she said as she nodded her head for the two to follow her to a nearby table next to the bar.

Lexi followed Chris past the typical lacey white table clothes and drippy candles until she arrived at the table. Looking around she could see two faces to this place. The first was a casual family place where one came for good food and great conversation as if they were home at their own kitchen tables. The second was a complete booty call joint where the slightly dimmed lights and candlelight provided a cheap ambiance for the savvy college students. Time would tell which face Vito Provolone would have this evening.

"So the usual or are you wanting something new for once?" the young waitress asked as she looked over at Chris as she waited to see what the orders would be.

Lexi leaned back some and processed what the woman had asked. The owner called him by his given name without missing a beat and the young waitress apparently knew his order. This meant he had to be a regular or family.

"Well… let's try something new… how about that lasagna dish you talked about, the baked stuff chicken lasagna?" Chris said, small wry smile over his face as he looked over at Lexi. "Does Stuffed Lasagna sound good?" he said, wondering what she might say. Ever since he heard her name was Garfield the jokes had been subtly but surely coming as he got to know the young lady.

"Sure I have never had it with chicken but then again I have never been tossed out of a class before," she joked happily. "Let's continue on the wild side and go with the chicken lasagna and a coffee."

"So what do you think of the academy so far? I know we are just in for a few days, what brought you here though?" Chris opened up as he sat leaning back ever so slightly as he looked over at Lexi. Everyone had different reasons for wanting to join, but when you went down the science fields you were joining for some more of the poindextery of reasons. Not that Chris could say different himself wearing the blue uniform just as much as she was.

"Stiff, competitive, and filled with people who are all pretty much bordering on a narcissistic psychiatric condition present company included of course," she winked at him with a smile. Chris would know exactly what she meant by that comment and if he didn't she was about to explain. "Everyone thinks they are the top dog but in reality, you are just average here. For example, I shall use my pool analogy. When you were young and growing up there were a few people that had a pool and you maybe even befriended them on a sweltering hot day in July even though they wanted to talk about igneous rocks or their mom's gave out strange snacks you choked down. You wanted that pool and in some ways, you put that person on a pedestal because they had a pool and you didn't. Now move to secondary school. You have someone that has an inground pool and that is so much better than Dexter's above ground pool so you mosey on over to Priscilla's house. The snacks are better and she doesn't have a hump or smell like cat hair and ham. You think you are moving up in the world but a part of you is like do I really belong here. I am didn't like cats or ham so that is why I left Dexter. Now I am sitting around a different pool with better snacks but the conversation has changed to everyone saying how nice or bless your heart," Lexi shoved a forkfull of lasgana in her mouth. After chewing a few seconds, she continued.

"The academy is a bizarre cross between the inground and above ground pool. Half the people here are weird as all heck and are barely able to carry on a conversation that doesn't include them pointing out how smart they are or having to wear an arm sling from patting themselves on the back so much they blew out their own elbows. They all are crooning about their brilliant IQ's and how they got here a year early because they graduated high school in their third year instead of their fourth but," she held her hands out, "who doesn't have a close to genius IQ. I mean it is Starfleet Academy and not Billy Bob's Po Dunk U. If we cling to the water analogies, everyone is normal and no one is special. Can you pass the salt," she pointed across the table.

Chris passed her the salt as he leaned back taking a garlic breadstick as he seemed to spin it in his hands a few moments as he pondered at what she said before taking a bite out of it. "I can see that, I mean I know my strengths, and it isn't this…" he said as he used his hand the gesture down his body as he couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly before taking another bite of the breadstick.

"I am brilliant at astrophysics, propulsion and trajectories as well as astronomy and cartography. Hell I thought about engineering for a time as I seem to straddle the line between the two departments, but ultimately I landed here. That said, I know biology, as much as anyone is expected but… well you saw how class went for me. Physical sciences tend to bore more, I like the theoretical or the explosive… and before you say it yes it is completely typical male." pausing he went and grabbed his beer bottle as he took a sip.

"I mean for pete's sake my brothers and me used to build old petrol ute's and race them out next to Spencer Lake , making things go fast was always something of a hobby. Though Nathan was always more one to crash things, he always had my older brother Paul try fix his mistakes. Granted as much as I love propulsion and vehicles I loved stars… I guess it's why it combined so well together. I learn how to make better engines to chart the stars I wanted to see."

Hours seemed to fly by as the two sat and talked, only the plates of meals past seem to be a sign they had eaten as Chris's laughter seemed to resonate through the building. "Yeah and that's when I told the guy that he had it upside down, needless to say once he turned it right side up and saw just how big the tip was supposed to be he wasn't as eager…"

Lexi let out a full-bodied laugh that seemed to resonate in the room. Her whole body shook and Lexi began to tear up. Waving a hand in front of her eyes she tried to fan away the moisture forming there. Chris' story was funny but Lexi was obviously entertaining herself at this point.

"Oh my god I know that poor guy," she started to try and talk yet large alligator tears began to run down her cheeks. The more she tried not to cry the worse it became as she kept sharing her story between her fits of laughter. "Melanie Burke and I were his lab partner at the start of the quarter. I'm sorry," she cried out an apology as she continued to cry but clearly wanted to share the story.

"We were in immunology and plating agar with differing strains of bacteria. I tend to make faces or patterns in it so I can easily spot mine. That day I was going for Bomer Dipson but that is not part of the story," she waved a hand under her eyes trying to dry them. "Anyway, I set the inoculator down on what I thought was the lab table. Turned out is was his notebook. Three days later he came down with Streptococcus," she started to laugh again. "I felt so bad but I wasn't going to admit it. He was fine a few hours later," she took a sip of her coffee. "What I can say is he does not want me for a study buddy."

"Oh lord please… you didn't." he said as he felt himself smiling wider than he had in a very long time. Lexi seemed to hit all the right boxes, yet Chris still couldn't point to himself why he felt like he shouldn't hit on her. This didn't mean there wasn't flirting but by this point he always began planning the best way to remove her clothes and what she would look next to his body. Yet Chris felt a pang of not wanting the evening to end.

In the faint background a sound of a bell could be heard, the door was old fashioned with the coming and going bell that many older places sometimes had, remnants from a bygone era. "Christopher?" could be heard faintly from behind them as Chris turned his head to see who's voice it was that called his name. As his eyes made contact with the figure his body sunk as he wondered just how well this was going to go.

Lexi's eyes followed the voice coming over. The willowy, hehe type that needed help bending over to tie her shoes due to her endowments was exactly the kind of girl Alexandra expected to be on Chris' arm. What did surprise her was his reaction.

"Tiffany?" he said, looking her up and down as if he was staring down the face of a old foe come to claim his life, he knew the name was wrong the second he saw the furrow of her forehead.

"It's Tiana… I…" Tiana paused as she looked from Lexi to him confusing changing to anger as she stared. As figures go, she was typical for the women one might figure associated with Chris, blonde, perk, large chests with listless dull eyes with atypical names such as Cinnamon Apple, and Ruby. "You, didn't call… I thought you said you were going to call. Ian said you got home safe but you didn't contact me."

"Ian is so bad at that," Lexi inserted a comment where one wasn't needed or asked for. It just seemed appropriate on some level.

"Ian? My roommate? How did you find where I live? I mean… I..." Chris seemed a lost for words as he bit his lower lip looking from Tiana then back to Lexi. "Something tells me I think we had the wrong impression here doll. We had fun, and well… that was all. I didn't even get your comm number, nor you mine."

"Well not in so many words but you have to keep that information on file so I put it in your book for the class…" she said as she looked at the table, it held his bag in the free chair as she leaned down to unzip it bringing out the AP Bio book as she opened it. "See, here." she showed, her name and number written across as Chris looked at the ink then back to here."

Alexandra leaned forward and looked at the book where Tianna was pointing "Well look at that. It is right there. Up at the top. In bold," Lexi confirmed tapping the spot with a perfectly manicured fingernail. "It is kinda hard to miss," Lexi nodded locking eyes with Chris. Her expression was neutral and hard to read especially since this was the first time she had spent any real time with Chris.

"Well… I hadn't quite gotten to read it, but I was… " he said looking at Lexi then back to Tiana. Lexi leaned back in her chair and gave Chris a few long steady nods as if she was responding to something he was saying. The problem was Chris had gone as quiet as a catholic nun in the middle of a mass lead by the Pope. Tiana's face held a different expression. Her jaw was set and if you looked at her neck you could see the small veins starting to bulge a bit. This was bad, worse cause he hadn't done anything truly wrong yet he knew Lexi wouldn't see it that way. In this moment he just was trying for once to get to know someone he felt would be lost in a case of wild oats being sewn.

As making bad to worse, Francesca came by seeing the three as her eyes lit up, "Wait what are you back for? Wasn't he with you last week? He never brought the same girl twice here…" she said, before looking at Chris with a slight grimace as she realized she let her mouth run before her mind caught up. "I mean… who are you?" she tried to cover with but found it all too little too late.

"Tianaaaaaa I didn't get the last name. I am not sure he knows or that she feels it should be necessary to supply it," Lexi announced to the cute little waitress. "If it is possible however could you supply me with a fresh cup of coffee," Lexi asked politely. "I am dying to hear about how all this ends. Depending on the answer I will tell you if I want dessert or not but a menu would be fabulous.'' Slapping her palm on her forhead she waved the woman off. "Never mind. I am sure Chris here has it memorized doncha cowboy."

"This is Alexandra Garfield, and this is…" Chris paused as he looked at the woman before him then back to Lexi as his eyes got wide.

"TIANA! Tiana Berkenstein!" Shouted the woman as her whole body seemed to thrust in anger as she began to nearly huff like an angry dog ready to bite.

Francessca looked between the two women and then to Chris trying to figure out what to do next.

"Really? You couldn't wait five minutes to come back to the table?" Chris said with a sense of defeat in his voice, knowing today was going to be bad he might as well accept the fallout.

"Or told your little doxy here that you and I are seeing each other and that she probably should give us a minute," Tiana leveled a gaze at Alexandra. 'We have a few things to discuss so why don't you mosey on to the bar or something."

"Oh sweetheart we were never seeing each other… I mean… that would require me remembering your last name… or your first for that matter." Chris countered as he felt a swelling anger. He liked Lexi, maybe in ways he didn't understand but he felt his anger at Tiana daring to insult her. Lexi had done nothing here and this hussy had the audacity to come and try and insult her.

Lexi had nothing to lose at this moment with Chris. She didn't know him enough to like him or hate him but she knew enough of Tiana's type to become judgy Judy. Alexandra was probably never going to have dinner with Chris again so she didn't care if he liked or hated her after this but sometimes one just had to go with your gut. "Oh by all means," Lexi stood up gesturing for Tiana to take a seat. "How about I give you five minutes," she looked at Chris as if for confirmation of the length of time.

Chris began shaking his head no, he didn't like this plan at all. Eying the table he began moving knives off the table as if any moment someone would come thrusting at him for the kill.

"That will give me enough time to freshen up my makeup in the ladies room and make that call to your mom," Lexi looked at Chris sincerely. "She wanted us to come for dinner next week and I told her I had to check my schedule but your Nana Cassie did text me to say your little sister won that science fair with the project you helped her with."

Chris began to nod as she spoke as he snapped his finger as he pointed at her as if a revelation had come over him as his eyes got wider. "Yes yes… correct…" he added as he looked over at Tiana.

Lexi was making all this up on the fly. She had no idea if Chris would back her or not. All she cared about was taking the chance to put someone like Tiana in her place. There was a fine line between confidence and arrogance and so many times people hide behind arrogance due to low self-esteem trying to put others down so that they seemed to sparkle. Tiana had strutted in acting like she had the inside scoop. Knowledge was power and right now Lexi hands down created a mythos that the perky little trollop either could debunk with a single word or slink away realizing she was playing on the B Team.

"Be right back baby," Lexi said confidently strutting from the table. As she walked away, Garfield thought about her next move. If Tiana was still at the table when she returned, Lexi would walk out the door and never look back. If the seat was open, she might try the cannoli. Places like this had amazing cannoli.

"No no no no…" he said as he got up sliding in between a fuming Tiana and a befuddled Francesca as he came between them hurrying to Lexi's side as he pulled her aside he whispered closely in her ear for none to hear. "I owe you, big time." he said with as soft of a whisper as he could as he looked back at Tiana and then decided he needed to sell this as he kissed Lexi's check as he wrapped his arm around her like he did this every night.

"Well we must be off it was so good to see you please you can put this on my tab…" Chris said, rushed tones as he didn't wait for any replies as he began to march Lexi and himself out of the restaurant as he looked back as they got out and then back to Lexi. "You might wanna walk a little faster doll." he said as he grabbed her hand in his as he began to run away like a pair of criminals from the scene.


	2. Chapter 2

Lexi pulled the edge of her turtleneck up over the tip of her nose. Fieldwork was always fun and a nice change to get you out of the humdrum existence of the classroom but some work was far more appealing than others. Lying on a blanket in the Owyhee Canyonlands, Oregon could have been fun if you had a case of beer, some smores and a bonfire to keep one nice and toasty. Instead, Cadet Garfield was lying on hardpan cushioned by a thin itchy wool blanket freezing her keister off trying to find what she assumed was something everyone but her on the planet could find.

"God it all looks the same to me," Lexi said gazing up at the sky. This class was mind-numbingly dull and pointless to her field. She didn't give two hoots about dust and ice floating in the cosmos. Sure it was this dust and ice that seeded planets with a myriad of life forms but it was not real life. Just organic soup with a small percentage of actually doing something in the right conditions. "And I don't see the red," she banged her binoculars against her palm. Everyone is always like 'you can see the red and that is how you find Mars but it ain't red. Not that I can see. Maybe mine are broken," she whacked the small handheld device against the ground she was laying on trying to see if that would help. "Trade with me," she said to Chris who was lying next to her. She didn't need to look at his face. She had known him long enough to tell what his expression was. He wore this mesmerized expression for two things and two things only. One was when he saw the perfect ten body and negative two intelligence girls that always seemed to be preening about like peacocks on the prowl. The other was when he was gazing at the stars.

"I most certainly will not trade with you… this is mine. There are many like it, but this one is mine. You need to just get better at this, if I can figure out biology and get a B+ out of it when I clearly had no clue what I was doing a third of the way through you can figure out the location of planets and stars in our solar system. It's not like I am asking you to map the stars from the surface of Vulcan or Orion… it's OUR planet." he said with that last part with an emphasis on the last part as he looked over at her as if she had just insulted his family heritage.

"And I am the one that always asks for directions regardless of where it is to make sure we are in the right spot. Last month in Switzerland with the ski club, the bar in the middle of the Outback, the kiosk in front of the fine arts building on campus," she rattled off a few of the thousand places she had asked for directions in the past month. It was not that she got lost that easily. It was more that Alexandra Garfield hated wasting time milling about when someone could simply point her in the right direction. "Chris, start pointing it out because I swear to god," she put the binoculars over her eyes, "there is no Mars in this sky!"

"Besides you are looking at the wrong location doll, it's that way." he said pointing the other direction from where she had been looking as he couldn't help but shaking his head. "Did you flip the coordinates again? What happens if you need to take over and help on a bridge one day? We are expected to be jack of all trades in many ways in situations of emergencies." he said chastising her as he put down his pair and moved over to his bag as he put it between the two. Unzipping it it seemed to be a mix of books, equipment, and what seemed like a butt load of candies and snacks.

"I'd just flag someone passing by in warp and ask for directions or go down in a firey hunk of twisted metal," Lexi said peering into Chris' bag. "Me however I am going to be Violet Jessop but the rest of you guys...I'd make sure someone is always more senior than me on the bridge at all times. Did you bring anything good? Correction, did you bring anything I like," she moaned seeing mounds of chocolate but not what she liked.

Settling back she waited and then found something else to complain about. "What time is it," she pulled the collar of her coat up tighter around her neck. "Aren't we almost done here?"

"Where is Professor Harlen? She was here earlier?" Chris asked as he looked around, he saw other students spread out but didn't see their professor at all. "Or what about… what's his name… that boy toy of yours… Schmidt, Schmity, Schmitten? The way too Jewish sounding name even for you… you do remember your boyfriends name right? I am gonna need some help here Lexi doll." he said as he finished digging from the bottom of the bag and found the Recces cups as he handed them over to her.

"Stein," she propped herself up on one elbow as she unwrapped the candy.

"Stein yes… that's it, Norah Stein…" he said as he moved over to her as he picked up her binoculars as he helped point the direction of Mars so she could see it and take down the notes. As she finished he slid over a few more pieces of candy, knowing she couldn't stop at just one.

"Um Noah not Norah. I am dating Noah Stein," she corrected him. The dig wasn't intentional or mean. Chris just never worried about getting his facts straight half the time when he felt it didn't matter.

"How hard is it to remember Noah Stein? I remember your doxy dollies," she said popping a Recee's cup in her mouth and there are a lot of them. Heidi, Priscilla, Margo, Dianna, Rochelle, Tianna not to be confused with Tatiana, Stacy, Becky," she started to punctuate each name with a valley girl accent. "Daniella who rhymes with Stella and my most favorite is Sierra. She was a real piece of work there bucko. Madeline, Allessandra, Cassandra," she paused and gave him a quizzical look. "Do you scan the registrar list and group them by rhymes because I am seeing a pattern cowboy."

"I mean, in all fairness I don't really try very hard. In all my years I have been close to… three women to a point that I really got to know them… unless we count relatives and then there is maybe five."

"Eww, no relatives. That is a whole branch of genetics that has its own section titled if you are in the first row of the Punnet Square Beware. Let's not count relatives," she took another bite of her candy and opened up another piece. "Besides there has to be at least one girl that has broken ol' Pooh bears heart." Lexi couldn't help but snicker using that nickname. It had zero to do with romance and everything to do with the fat teddy bear from the Hundred Acre Woods. Why his parents settled on the name was still a mystery to her.

I don't have time for a lot of the stuff, either they want the jock, or the pretty boy which I like that… play some football or rugby have a good time… mountain climbing all the stuff they like. Then I get bored of just that, I always had far more varied interests." he said as he stopped to take a bite of a baby ruth as he began to get caramel a nougat stuck at the roof of his mouth.

"Yeah like a blonde with highlights, blondes without highlights, redheads, brunettes, brunettes with red highlights," she poked fun at the type of women that always seemed to fit a mold. It was like they were Stepford Wives all with the goal to land one Cadet Christopher Robin.

"Sad truth is of the three, you are one of them and we never even dated… and the other is Paul's wife cause he found an amazing girl when he married her. He got lucky, middle school sweetie. How the hell do you know someone is the one at twelve?" Chris said as he threw the wrapper in the bag wondering if maybe she had a bit of a point, he didn't mindless the endless supply to an extent but it did somehow feel far more exhausting than rewarding at times.

"There is the couple Shaun and Kate. I have heard they have known each other since they were like five and live next door to each other. They are from West Virginia or something so I guess for them it is not weird but sometimes you just know when you know," Lexi shrugged it off and pulled another Recees Cup from the wrapper.

"Half the time as long as their assets are big enough to offset their clear lack of any moral fiber I get past it for a bit. I mean you mention Sierra, that chick was beyond irritating. Always had a story when you did, never seemed to shut up always tried to mimic those around her."

"She just liked you and who couldn't. I mean you are rather amusing at times," Lexi tried to find something nice to say but couldn't help at shake her head the polar opposites of her and Chris' type. Noah was tall, skinny as heck, and at times could lull you into a coma with the tone of his voice. Still, he was a science major so the hunk factor was not expected as it was with those in the security school.

"She was insufferable blow hard, but she had 34 Es so I put up for it for… at least two weeks wasn't it?" Chris said as he nodded as if in agreement with himself.

"Two weeks, six hours, and ten minutes. I remember that day in the mess hall vividly," Lexi shook her head. Chris was an amazing guy but when the current woman left him it was rarely through tears begging to stay and more like direction on where he could go.

"Then after three weeks I get bored of their idiotic, I mean Sierra started correcting me on the proper day to celebrate holidays and I just lost it. I don't care if first contact is in the spring if I wanna wish a Vulcan a nice day and thank them for their work who bloody cares if I did it in the Fall?" he said as he reached into the bag as he grabbed another piece, pausing to look at it before just shoving it back into the bag.

"Chris I am not sure Rumarie is exactly the type of day you wish someone the best on," she let out a belly laugh. "God how you and Ian manage at times is a wonder. I mean sure that guy was a bit stiff but wishing he had a happy ancient pagan festival day where barely clothed Vulcan men and women, covered in slippery Rillan grease, chased one another s not something most Vulcans want to remember or admit to. I mean it is like that kegger we went to last weekend. I am pretty sure we were celebrating Rumarie three bottles of Romulan Ale in," she broke into a fit of laughter. "I will swear on my future career that you and Ian did streak across the parade field later that night."

"Least you make hanging out easy, you know I can be cocky but you don't hold it against me, challenge me yet don't patronize me. You can be loose and easy but you know how to buckle down and do things the proper way, it's why we make the best Dynamic Duo"

"Wonder Twin powers activate," Lexi stuck out her hand in a fist. The action was silly and no one would ever understand it but them. It came from a holoshow about two friends that shape-shifted and saved the world when it needed it. Lex decided after a night of way too much study and way too little sleep it would be a thing between them. She was still trying to sell Chris on it so every time she got the chance, she gave him the opportunity to partake in it.

Chris paused as he looked at her, he liked Lexi sure but she came up with some lame ass things for them to do. Still it made her happy, and he liked to make her happy as he formed a fist and wimply pressed it up against hers as he rolled his eyes and looked the other direction to see if someone was watching them.

"You know," she said raising one eyebrow with a mocking expression on her face. "One day you are so going to beg me to do this and I will be here and you will do that little happy dance inside when I pound your hand, Christopher Robin." Lexi promised acting stern and silly at the same moment. "You know the dance I'm talkin' bout. Ungh," she said a made two fists with her hand as she punched the air and did a little wiggle dance not caring who saw her, for the moment. "Ungh. Ungh. Ungh. That's right," she repeated it a few more times even though Chris would have known what she was imitating with the first ungh. It was his seat dance of victory. She had heard it enough at the end of a comm call and witnessed it enough when Chris felt he had triumphed over…anything. To her, it was his trademark move or motto.

"Yeah, one day when we wonder twin it you are gonna publically ungh ungh ungh it and I am just going to laugh and shake my head. Mark my words. Besides its the reason why you are gonna be my partner." Lexi would have finished her sentence but Chris deftly cut her off finishing the sentence the way he wanted it to end.

… and it's why you are gonna be my partner for this event, Norad can just team up with… oh look Sierra he can have her, she can stare into his soul with those listless soulless eyes… that's if the professor ever shows." he added, and is if on cue he could hear the sound of a throat being cleared as foot steps behind them began to walk near the front of the hill as Professor Harlen appeared.

"I will do all you biology homework next term if you can even tell me what color her eyes were," Lexi winked at him. Chris was complex but also exceedingly simple. He enjoyed the verbal repartee but also wanted someone who saw him for more than a piece of eye candy.

"She has eyes?" Chris asked, smirking slightly as he saw Noah coming towards them. "See Norm is coming… he can rescue you from all the stars, though I get an impression he maybe just as lost as you when it comes to finding them. Why you dragged him along this class is beyond me, he is an xenoarchelogist… this is literally never going to help him." Chris said as he leaped up from the ground offering his hand to steady Lexi as he began putting all his gear into his bag.

"You never know. He might get stranded on an archaeological dig somewhere and need to find his North Star to bring him to me. The North star led the three Wiseman to Jesus. Vikings used it to sail the along with countless other mariners and Lewis and Clark calculated where they were and how to get back home. It's kinda romantic when you think about it. So many people used it to find their way back to the people they love. Space is vast so anything that is there to anchor you to what you know is a good thing right," Lexi said in a soft voice. Right after the words left her mouth she blushed a bit and looked at the ground. She and Chris talked about their significant others but it was rare when Lexi shared thoughts like this. Thankfully the professor spoke before she or Chris did next.

"Wait… I told you that… I took you up that first week we meet to the planetarium… I was trying to ask that waitress from the sandwich shop out and thought that would be a good pick up line… you are reusing my sap for real feelings? That's kind of gross…" Chris said as he shook his head in mock disgust. Truth be told at first he may have been telling that story for her, and he might have even meant it if he could focus on one thing long enough to realize how he felt. The truth was Chris didn't really try and think too hard on the sappy and romantic, but Lexi had caused some moments of pause in his two years of friendship. Granted he would never tell her such things, he would ruin what they have and in every way he felt what they had he needed more than to find out what was under the sweater she was wearing.

"It's not sap when you really mean it and feel that way," Lexi shrugged him off. Chris might have found the sentiment silly and a pickup line but for some reason, it spoke to her.

"All of you should have found the planets in question," Harlan said stepping around all the students lounging about stargazing on the ground. "Now is your turn to see who gets the A tonight. Everyone will randomly be assigned to a partner based on their academic standings. If you are passing stand on this line. If you are not you are on the other line. Now just like a country line dance, doe see doe right up to the person with the A you want as your partner.

"This feels a lot like arranged marriages…" Chris said under his breath as he and Noah faced off to each other.

Well at least this doesn't make it so awkward, she thought as Lexi looked at Noah. "Guess we need to do more studying nights," she smiled at Noah. There was only one person she was going to team up with tonight. It was an unspoken rule between them. She passed Chris in Biology and he got her to the passing mark in anything stellar related.

"I don't know. I mean we don't have to get an A in every class do we," Noah looked at her.

"You didn't really just say that… to her? How long have you dated her now? My word man you can't joke about that, what kind of Jew are you… not going for grades… we have stereotypes for a reason!" he said as he looked over at Lexi seeing the terse look on his face he quickly walked away for a second so they could talk. His Jew jokes had always been in jest and she often liked them, but others sometimes found Chris to have gone a tad too far.

Lexi covered her face with one hand scratching her eyebrow hiding the smirk. She had known him long enough to know he was just joking as did Noah; however, even though half the Federation seemed to be practicing atheists, that never stopped the few that always seemed to be within earshot to grab their tube of Destin and lube up for the righteous indignation butt hurt speech that surely would come. Luckily everyone seemed focused on other matters.

Noah let out a half laugh and shrugged both Lexi and Chris off. "She is a bit intense at times and you just need to remind her to take a step back not and then," Noah laughed.

"Why would we not want to stay at the top of our class. I mean the top one percent gets to pick their placements after graduation and if we have a snowball's chance in hell of being stationed together we need to be in that one percent right. Besides Chris has the best snacks. You know the way to win me is snacks and coffee and sadly you are a bit thin on both baby," she teased Noah. "That is why I am going with him," she pointed at Chris. "So I can be with you after graduation," she winked at Noah.

"Where do I sign up if my partner eats all my snacks for compensation and recompense?" Chris said as Lexi began to make her way over to him. He wasn't smirking so much but he did have a very soft small smile as she made her way to him.

Coming back to the pair he looked as Noah slinked away, finding Sierra as he looked back over to Lexi.

"You going to trust Nick"

"Noah," Lexi let out a half laugh correcting him in the middle of his sentence.

"to not get swept away…" he said looking over at the line up as Noah's pickings began to be slim. "In this pretty... grey eyes?" he said with a small shrug as he get his eyes to move above chest level from Sierra.

"I am pretty sure he can handle her. She is your type, not his. He likes sweet sincere types. Not the type that is only going to get to know you to get an A," Lexi dug through Chris' bag until her words processed in her own mind. "Except for me. I'm not like that," she playfully hip-checked Robin.

"I'm not sure she's my type… I don't know… maybe I have the wrong type." he said as he let a small smile come across his face. Chris may have self doubts at times but the curves on the Vulcan woman that was teaming up with the young Bolian across them did give him pause. "You know I really need to research ponfar more…"

Lexi was only half listening to Chris as she dug in his bag for another piece of candy. "You couldn't keep up and some woman in ponfar would snap you like a twig," she said. "Or a Twix," she laughed amusing herself once she noticed the candy bar she was holding in her hand. Snapping it in half for effect she offered Chris half of her candy bar.

Across the world at Kathmandu

"Oh my god I thought Oregon was cold," Lexi bounced around a bit staring at the twilight sky in Durbar Square. The buildings were so ancient. The air reeked of scents not typically experienced by those in the Federation. This small slice of the Earth was protected as a cultural and heritage site which meant life here still resembled the archaic ways from the past. "Are you sure we are going to find the Aurora Borealis here," she looked around blowing on her hands.

"Wait… wait what?" Chris stopped dead in his feet looking back at her. "Aurora Borealis… do you know where we are?" Chris said as he looked at her, this was a common trait for Lexi, if the it wasn't a field she was passionate about she often let the details slide. She was an enigma in some ways, some might find her to be a grade hound going for top of her class but so many times he found himself dumbfounded how she let so many smaller things slide all the same.

"We are hunting for the Corona Borealis love… Corona… like the beers we are going to have if we finish this up in time? Now put some ass into it and keep going I am not going to miss the barbecue."

"Are you sure," she looked at him skeptically. "I have never heard of the Corona Borealis. I think we should call Ian," she pulled her comm out of her pocket and immediately began to place the call to his roommate. If anyone was an astorphysist she would have walked over and asked them but Nepal was not a hotbed of stargazers. Ian, on the other hand, was a walking encyclopedia of sorts and also a polygot. Even if he hadn't heard of the Corona Borealis, he probably knew the origin of the word and the context it should be used in.

Starfleet Academy Dormitory

Candles lit the tub as Ian began sliding into the bath, bubbles rising as he nestled in as he had sounds of the ocean playing as he began to unwind. This was something he would never do in while Chris was home in fear of mocking. Still, Kylie had recommended some of these bath beads with lilac and summer juniper to relax and unwind after the test they had. He was not a fan of Peloponnesian history of Earth as much as most, prefer more recent history but he tried his best to answer the essays he had on the aftermath of Sparta conquering Athens in 530bc.

As he began to let the sounds of the waves dull over him as he drank the scotch, his one twist to the recommended pinot the Kylie insisted would be the perfect drink, he heard the sound of the com coming through. "What the hell…" he said to himself as he sat up a bit straight as he debated, he wasn't quite sure who would contact at this time. While it wasn't late, it wasn't necessarily the hour he would expect people to be calling him.

"Computer, who is this call coming from?" he asked, in pre WW III Earth there was something called Caller ID, a concept that seemed to vanish with cold calls of today. Ian though found the practicing of screening one's calls to be most pertinent, and something more people should want to bring back.

"Com call is coming from Alexandra Garfield." the reply came from the computer as Ian raised an eyebrow. He liked Lexi, she, him and Chris had become very close over the years. He often wondered what took Chris so long to ask the girl out, everyone but he could see how much he loved her it seemed but Chris being stubborn and unable to see hindsight at times seemed to stay in the firm friend's department with the young perk brunette.

"Fine… computer open call." Ian said looking around, feeling a sense of self-consciousness coming over him. This wasn't a visual call, but somehow answering nude in bubbles as sounds of the ocean played on made him feel like he needed to be doing something more mainly like skinning a gator or riding a bull. "Lexi… what do I have the honor of your call sugar?" Ian said with a smile coming over his lips as he answered.

"Okay so Chris and I are stuck in Nepal and I am freezing my ahhh," Lexi paused talking about her frozen derriere and immediately changed topics. "Where are you," she asked as her forehead furrowed in a series of wrinkles showing her confusion.

"Where am I … I'm just enjoying myself that's what… so Nepal sounds fun…" Ian said ignoring the question as he hoped to get to the chase.

"Are you out with Kylie at Fisherman's Wharf," she pressed the conversation. This was in no way what she was calling about but the ambient sounds in the rooms had piqued her curiosity.

"No no no… I'm not… no not there." Ian said cursing the damn music, he couldn't very well turn it off now as it would give it all away but he was also beginning to get stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Then why do I hear waves crashing and seagulls? Are you at the beach? You know you can't be out after curfew or they will nail you," Lexi began to sound very mom-like and responsible. Ian was fun as hell but at times but he and Chris seemed to live by the saying rules were meant to be broken. Yes both of them were big boys but even big boys needed someone looking out for them from time to time.

"Dude just answer her so we can hurry on…" growled Chris as he looked over at Lexi as he stuck his tongue out at her with a small wink.

"Chris," Lexi said putting her hand over the comm. It didn't do anything but muffle and even the muffle probably let Ian hear every word. "I think he is having a dalliance with that Kylie," she said in a loud whisper. "He is acting so defensive and now I don't know how to get out of it. I mean there are birds caws and you can clearly hear the sound of waves breaking on a beach but he is denying it. So that means he is with her and we are breaking in on who knows what." It was then Lexi announced quickly. "You talk to him. Find out what he is doing?"

"Fine fine fine… I'm… taking a bath… it's not important just what… what how…" Ian paused unsure what to say next as he got out of the bath, blowing out candles as he grabbed his bottle of scotch. "You surely didn't call to ask how I take a bath now did you?"

"You take a bath," Lexi said sounding as if she was just told something of paramount importance. "Why would you do that? Showers are faster and well you are a…guy," she could not help but sound stunned. Shaking her head as if she was removing a terrible thought from her mind, Lexi got back on topic for now "Okay wer are looking for the Corona Borealis but I think Chris took a left turn at Al-be-quirky," Lexi joked using the voice belonging to a long-gone cartoon character. "So back to this bath thing," Lexi leaned against a wall.

"Yes well… Kylie recommended it. You have no idea how much pressure I have been in lately. Did you know that the word for meet and sex are very close in Romulan, so you can imagine when I told the Romulan ambassador that Lieutenant Calin had set up for us to meet as part of our diplomatic training using native tongue went when I said 'Hello Praetor Yuvik, it is a pleasure to meet you today.' went by." he said as he flopped down on the sofa as he began pouring a drink slowly before bringing it to his lips as he let out an audible sound of relief as he let himself wind down.

Lexi's eyes got wide hearing Ian's story. "Oh my god you did not," she said. It was rhetorical of course but Ian had two things going for him. One was that he was a cadet. The other was that the man seemed to be able to sweet-talk his way out of anything.

"I swear that Trill bastard is a smug one. He was going on about he was going to be joined soon… I think he was setting me up but I can't be certain." Ian said of Calin as he took a deep breath, it could have been worse, he could have gotten the phrase correct to him and got it wrong to his daughter. Lucky for Ian the Romulan didn't get to agitated.

"Yo Robin you stuck," Joel Schmalter taunted Chris as Joel's partner took the necessary reading to complete the assignment. "I can help you figure it out just say pretty please. The professor said it shouldn't take us more than two hours. Tick tock." Joel was the one guy in every class that grated everyone's nerves.

Lexi shot Joel a disgusted look and rolled her eyes. Joel and Chris were among the top ten percent of the cadets in the astronavigation department and their rivalry was well known throughout the department.

"No, I'm fine… can you tell Tiffany I said hi for me… she really helped with the command course studies last week." Chris said as he moved over to Joel, circling him slightly as he went to snag the PaDD from his hand.

"I mean… you do have to make certain you are facing the right direction first before you at least take the readings too." he said as he shoved the PaDD back into the others chest as he patted him on the back as he walked back to Lexi as he gave her a wink as he looked at her like he always did with this mix of swarm and care that seemed to be something he only gave to her.

"God Ian you should see this. It's like some nature documentary with the two of them. Joel is pushing Chris' buttons but Chris is just jabbing him right back. Why can't you control your boy," Lexi joked. Her tone sounded reprimanding but her mouth was sporting a half-smirk that was threatening to become a full smile.

"Hon you have always had a better ability at that than me, you talk some sense into him. He listens to you, half the time it's me trying to run from bouncers at clubs and bars. Did you know we are now banned from Elmo's?"

"Noooooo I loved that place," Lexi said shocked and allowed a whine to dominate her tone. Glancing at Chris she could not help but shake her head. The man definitely had a way with people and not all of the times was his interaction given an A-plus grade. Still, Chris was Chris and nothing would ever change him. His mold was made of granite. Trying to change him was like trying to predict a rogue ion storm. The man had his flaws but made up for them in spades if you just trusted him and gave him a chance. Christopher Robin was far from perfect but perfect for those he let into his world.

"I guess that means we hit up Hoolihan's for our Tuesday night study group," Lexi suggested already thinking how to adapt to this situation. "Chris," she yelled out watching him and Joel doing the male equivalent of the female 'how nice' conversation. She pointed a finger at her friend knowing what was behind the half-smirk. Curling her finger back at herself she motioned Chris over to her.

"What… he was already getting the right setting if I didn't throw him off a little he would beat us." he said as he looked back subtly as Joel could be seeing arguing with his partner as he pointed in the other direction.

"A huh," she shook her head with a smile. Part of her wondered how far off Chris sent Joel. It would not surprise her to found out next week in the mess hall that Joel and his partner ended up in the deepest, darkest jungle on earth so deep they would have to hike for three days just to see the sky through the tree canopy. Where Joel's team ended up didn't really matter? Chris was right. She and Chris' team had to win. They were the wonder twins and if Joel didn't double-check the coordinates that was on him. This thought train brought her back to where she and Chris needed to be going.

"Speaking of directions is there such a thing as the Corona Borealis? Chris is saying yes but I am positive he is wrong and he won't ask for directions. You know how he is," she sighed.

"Hon, I may know my history and languages but Chris was always the whiz at physics and directions… of course that's the right location. I mean don't tell me you are being stubborn again and not taking his word? He tricked you one time to dress up as Princess Leia to a formal meeting of dignitaries and it's like you don't trust the man anymore."

"Not at far as I can throw his two hundred pound butt," she replied immediately. Her tone was sincere but not the sentiment. She was crazy about Chris. He was fun and exciting and only once had his gregarious side extended to her being the one on the other end of the joke. The one thing his prank did accomplish was Noah taking notice of her so all in all it was not a bad thing.

Looking back at Lexi he grabbed her com as he took over the call.

"Hey pal, thanks and all… I will get back to you later about your new woman hood status but for now we need to get going." Chris said as he closed the com giving it back to Lexi.

Lexi burst out laughing unable to control the amusement she felt hearing Chris rag on his best friend and siding with her. Pocketing the comm badge, she shared her inner thought even if it wasn't full enlightened. "Dude you have to save him from Kylie. Men should not be lounging in a tub with ther big toe plugging the faucet. That so impacts the man card unless you are sharing the bath," she added the end part quickly letting her mind drift for a second. Realizing she had started to daydream, Lexi quickly snapped back to Tibet.

"Okay let's beat Joel. I got this," she winked. Glancing at the coordinates she quickly made a single adjustment to the location Chris had selected and pressed the submit button. The moment she hit submit, small flashes of light began to appear around them as the site to site transporter started to dematerialize the pair to send them to the indicated location.

"Wait… what are you doing…" Chris began to shout before the beams caught the pair.

Lexi looked up at Chris and for a split second her tummy dropped out. Nothing moved Chris like that unless something was wrong. The speed of the transporter did not, however, give her time to dwell or react as the lights blurred first his expression and then his body as they were whisked away to 65.0539° N, 146.0594° W.

One Week Later

"You two are lucky we finally got your signal, those caves metal play havoc with getting out anything, plus that storm I didn't think was ever going to let up." spoke the chipper Andorian Ensign as he looked over the two of Lexi and Chris who sat next to each other, wearing what looked like pajamas and giant blankets over their bodies.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed the words she had been repeating for the past week. It was almost becoming her mantra or at least her motto. The course of events the pair had experienced over the past seven days could be best explained in a high budget OMAP holomovie. Any attempt at an apology seemed less than acceptable. That hadn't stopped her from trying to find a way to make up for it. Secretly however she knew the past week would be one of those stories one shared with grandchildren to prove how wild their twenties really were. Safe in the shuttle Lexi would not have traded the week for the universe.

Chris looked over at Lexi, she had been saying that over and over again for the past week, I'm sorry. He knew he didn't mean anything, they had nearly died from the detour as well. Be that as it may, he hadn't hated the adventure. He could have tried to redirect their course as soon as they beamed into the wrong spot, but he found himself alone and enjoying Lexi. It was quiet moments like these that caused him to stir the most, confessions often never ended well.

"Stop, it's okay… that village was lovely and the ice hotel was amazing, the caves where a little traumatizing but… we made it out okay." he said as he looked over at her, seeing between her legs lay his bag on the floor. "Give it to me." he asked of her as he waited for her to bend down to grab it.

"Barely. I just know that Artic Pooh's are not as stuffed with fluff and cuddly as the Californian ones," she laughed with her teeth still chattering a bit as he handed him the bag. It was then she got a semi hurt expression. "Did you hold out?" Lexi didn't think Chris would have a secret stash of Baby Ruth left yet part of her wondered what he could have wanted from a bag that was supposedly picked clean.

Opening the bag he had to smirk a little, "No, no candy… we ate it all to survive. I did have something, it's silly but…" he paused through slightly chattering teeth as he began to pull out a beautiful blue diamond princess cut pendant with a silver chain.

"Oh my god that is beautiful, Lex let the pendant rest on her fingertips as Chris held it still for her to examine.

"The market, they said it was called the North Star necklace… you may have screwed up but I never for one second regret any time I get with you Lex, don't ever thing other wise… just remember if you get lost next time, you can always look for that north star you romanticize so much." he said as he leaned over as he helped her put on the pendant as he smiled at her before leaning back.

Pulling her hair to one side she let Chris affix it around her neck. "What is there to romanticize about a star that can always lead you home or a stone associated with loyalty, honesty, and devotion," she leaned back smiling. When she got back to her quarters she would examine it in more detail. Right now all she could think about was the two very powerful symbols associated with the gift: spirituality and devotion. She had both of these for the man sitting next to her.

Thank you," she sat up and kissed him on the cheek before sitting back and resting her head on his shoulder. "So how are we gonna fix this with the professor she asked sliding the pendant back and forth on the chain as she started to think about returning to the dullness and chaos of the academy.

"It's nothing, and don't worry I will smooth this over… maybe we can get survival merit badges in some other course… do they do merit badges in Starfleet?"


End file.
